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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26136373">Do Not Backtrack—The I Love You Job, Part Two</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/crayonbreakygal/pseuds/crayonbreakygal'>crayonbreakygal</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The I Love You Job [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Leverage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, I Love You, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:08:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,257</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26136373</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/crayonbreakygal/pseuds/crayonbreakygal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“You just cannot tell me you love me and then backtrack it.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sophie Devereaux/Nathan Ford</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The I Love You Job [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1897918</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Do Not Backtrack—The I Love You Job, Part Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Season four, The Boiler Room Job.  Maybe this was when he actually said it first?  By mistake?</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Do Not Backtrack—The I Love You Job, Part Two</p>
<p>Takes place season four, The Boiler Room Job</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Some dialogue and scene description (in italics) taken from whendarknessfalls.net who transcribed each episode!</p>
<p>“Excuse me?”</p>
<p>“You heard me. Do I have to repeat myself?”</p>
<p>Maybe because what he’d heard himself say didn’t register.  Until it did.</p>
<p>Right in the middle of a con.  Right in the middle of a con of a grifter.  Why?  Why now?</p>
<p><em>Sophie was in the middle of changing clothes when Nate walked in to find her putting on a dress.</em>  He loved that dress on her.</p>
<p>
  <em>“That looks amazing on you.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Don't be surprised. You picked it out.”</em>
</p>
<p><em>Sophie turned and pulled up the top of her dress. Nate zipped it up for her.</em> Silk. The dress was a fine silk, gold in color that complimented Sophie in every way.</p>
<p><em>“I, um, I better get undressed.”</em> It didn’t come out the way he wanted it to, but it was true.  Finding her in a state of undress during a con was doing things to him.</p>
<p>
  <em>“I think you mean ‘changed’, Nate.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Yeah.”</em>
</p>
<p><em>Eliot opened the door, </em>ruining the moment between the two of them.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Hey. Hurry up. They just pulled in.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Yeah, why don't you stall them in the lobby for a second?”</em>
</p>
<p>Nate just wanted a minute to admire Sophie at her finest.  After Eliot left, he turned to her. That’s when all hell broke loose.</p>
<p>“I love this dress.  It would be perfect attire for a wedding, don’t you think?”</p>
<p>Nate was halfway undressed when she stated what she stated. Uh oh, where was she going with this?</p>
<p>“Yeah, I love you too. But a wedding?”</p>
<p>Sophie’s eyes bugged out.  “Excuse me?”</p>
<p>Backtrack.  He rewound what he’d just said. He’d said he loved the dress. Right?</p>
<p>“You heard me.  Do I have to repeat myself?”</p>
<p>Maybe because what he’d heard himself say didn’t register. Until it did.</p>
<p>“You just cannot tell me you love me and then backtrack it.”</p>
<p>Was that what he’d said?  Hurriedly, he pulled up his pants.  Luckily, he had already buttoned up most of the shirt he yanked over his head. A few more accessories and he was ready to go.</p>
<p>“What? I did not backtrack. You look lovely.”</p>
<p>Glaring at him, Sophie quickly walked out before their latest mark saw her in his office.  This job was all about timing. Picking up his phone, he started to chatter away so that when Greg entered, he’d be ready for him. So why did he feel so unprepared?  That’s when reality dawned on him.  Nate hadn’t said that he loved the dress.  Fuck, he shouted in his head. What the hell was he going to do now?</p>
<p>It didn’t matter right then because Greg waltzed into the office. Nate had to shake it off for his part of the con to work.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“That's funny, 'cause you're sleeping with her. I see it.”</em>
</p>
<p>What little did “The Mako” know because it was much more than that.  If Nate hadn’t blown it in that office, accidentally telling Sophie that he loved her, maybe it wouldn’t be written clear as day on his face. No matter how much backtracking Nate did, what he said was what he said.  Even this shark knew it.</p>
<p>
  <em>“It's in your body language when you're together. It's in your eyes when you look at her. You two have a carnal relationship.”</em>
</p>
<p>More than carnal. If it were just sex, Nate would have been able to not look at Sophie how he did.  Did he look at her like that all the time?  Is this what besotted meant?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“So, w-who's gonna point out the big pink argyle elephant in the room?”</em>
</p>
<p>Nate certainly wouldn’t. He was in enough hot water as it was.  Hardison was right.  It could cause trouble down the line if they were to break this off. If the other three only knew how deep he and Sophie were in. Not that he’d let any of them know.</p>
<p>
  <em>Nate and Sophie looked at each other, obviously uncomfortable.</em>
</p>
<p><em>“Listen, it's not that you're not two consenting adults.”</em>  Consenting adults who had sex on every surface they could in a short amount of time. Not telling them that.  Particularly Eliot.</p>
<p><em>“But we need to be able to rely on each other.”</em>  Sophie might think otherwise because of his slipup.  Would she bolt?  Parker would not like it if Sophie vanished.</p>
<p><em>“And we need to be aware of each other's emotional states.”</em>  By the look Sophie was now giving him, she was definitely aware of what his emotional state was, even if Hardison wasn’t.</p>
<p><em>“Our emotional states are-are fine.”</em>  Again, the slipup would be acknowledged by Sophie. Hopefully when they were alone.</p>
<p><em>“It's not like we're having a real relationship. No. It's just s...”</em> Was she conning the rest of the team?  Holy shit. She was conning them. </p>
<p><em>“Friends with bennies.”</em>  Oh damn, he was too old for this shit.  Where did Hardison get these ideas?</p>
<p><em>“Well, I- I'd say it's, uh...”</em>  Maybe he’d just come clean with them all and tell them that there was more to this than just casual sex.</p>
<p><em>“Yeah. That's not a bad way of looking at it.”</em>  Was she serious? Was Sophie actually serious?</p>
<p><em>“Okay.”</em>  Either Nate just dodged a bullet or Sophie would indeed scream at him the next chance she got.</p>
<p><em>“Looks like you aren't the only two.”</em>  Did Eliot think that’s what would become of Sophie and Nate? Dancing like no one was watching?</p>
<p>
  <em>Across the room, Mrs. Cox and Nugget began to dance.</em>
</p>
<p><em>“That is at the same time beautiful and very disturbing.”</em>  Nate would never mention to Hardison or the others how disturbed Nate was at the moment. By the looks that Sophie was giving him, this particular night could go south at any moment.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Guys, to the Big Store.”</em>
</p>
<p><em>“The Big Store.”</em> </p>
<p>Maybe it was all in his head. Maybe she had forgotten about his “mistake”.  Maybe she had realized that he was talking about her dress, not about the state of their relationship. </p>
<p>Touching glasses, Nate gulped down what was left in his.  Better to be fortified for the onslaught. The others started talking, kidding around about something that had happened during the job when Sophie turned to Nate and leaned over to whisper in his ear.</p>
<p>“I do believe we need to have a talk.”</p>
<p>“Now?”</p>
<p>There was nothing left in his glass. Dammit.</p>
<p>“I believe we have something to settle.”</p>
<p>“Oh, boy.”</p>
<p>Waving to the rest of them, he and Sophie headed back to his place. The lights were off except for the small lamp on his desk.  He didn’t go to flip the switch when he entered. </p>
<p>“Friends with bennies?”</p>
<p>Nate just shrugged, realizing that it might be better to keep his mouth shut so that she could have her say.</p>
<p>“Parker brought back some chocolate.”</p>
<p>Nate eyed her warily.</p>
<p>“She won’t miss it.  The boys certainly won’t miss it.”</p>
<p>Nate narrowed his eyes at her.</p>
<p>“Tell me how much you love me, and I’ll let you lick the whole jar off of me.”</p>
<p>Nate almost choked as he swallowed his nervousness. Sophie handed him the jar, slipped off her shoes, and made her way up the staircase.</p>
<p>“Well, let’s go. Chop, chop.”</p>
<p>“The whole jar?” Nate asked as he trailed her up the stairs.</p>
<p>“I might be persuaded to share, love.”</p>
<p>The jar almost slipped out of his hands.</p>
<p>“I love…”</p>
<p>“If you say chocolate, the deal is off.”</p>
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